Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan asks for new trial
Convicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan wants a new trial.
His attorneys claimed in a motion that the trial judge made a series of errors, including allowing prosecutors to present as evidence the now-infamous wiretap recordings in which Madigan said some ComEd contractors "made out like bandits."
The 82-year-old was convicted by a jury in February of 10 counts of corruption, including bribery conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud. He was acquitted on seven other charges, and jurors deadlocked on the six remaining counts. His four-month trial was the culmination of accusations that he ran a yearslong criminal enterprise to enrich himself and his political allies.
He and longtime political confidant Michael McClain were accused of conspiring with utility companies ComEd and AT&T to provide no-show jobs to Madigan's allies in exchange for the speaker's help on legislation. Prosecutors also accused Madigan of pressuring real estate developers to hire his private law firm, which specializes in property tax appeals.
Madigan's motion is unlikely to be granted but could set up grounds for an appeal down the line.
Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to order Madigan to forfeit $3.1 million in the wake of his conviction. Madigan is scheduled to be sentenced in June.
